Relative BlissGenealogy of Julie Ann Bliss Hammons |
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Allen Joseph Stout Journal |
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1861-1871 [Prophecy to his Children] The son of Joseph Stout, the son of Samuel Stout, the son of Peter Stout, was born in the county of Mercer and State of Kentucky, on the 5th day of December A. D. 1815. My mother’s name was Anna, the daughter of Daniel and Pleasant Smith. My grandmother Stout’s name was Rachel Chauncey before she married. In the first settling at New Jersey there were three young men by the name of Stout who come from Germany - two of which were killed by the Indians, and the other one married a woman who had been scalped and tomahawked and left among the dead, and from thence came all the numerous hosts of Stouts now in the United States. My father, being a poor man, maintained his mainly by tending a grist mill. in the fall of 1819 he removed to Clinton County, Ohio, and there maintained his family partly by farming and partly by days work. in the summer of 1823, my father sent me to Rebecca Stout, a cousin of mine, 20 days. This, with the former exertions of my mother, enabled me to begin to read. In the summer of 1823, my youngest sister Elizabeth Mahala died of measles; I also had the same complaint, and about the same year I had the French measles of chicken pox, and the mumps, and then whooping cough. On the 29th day of July, 1824, my mother died of the consumption after a long confinement and much suffering. She left a family of eight children whose names were: Rebecca, Sarah, Mary, Margaret, Anna, Hosea, Allen J. and Lydia R. About this time I went to a school a few days more to a man by the name of George Carter who was an old Quaker Friend. I boarded at Uncle Isaac Stout’s while going to school. After the death of my mother, my father broke up housekeeping and I lived awhile with a man by the name of Ephriam Done. My sister Margaret had married a man who called himself William McStout,, an infamous rascal. In the fall of 1824, my father, sisters Mary, Anna, Lydia, and myself removed to Cincinnati and stayed there a few weeks and then went on to the falls of the Ohio River and spent the winter. Soon after we got here my sister Mary was married to a man whose name was Nicholas Jamestown - another most abandoned wretch. During this winter I lived some of the time with a man by the name of George Ditchlers [sic] and some with George Colliers and with Major Newel. Mr. Collier’s folks were hard to please, but they were nice cleanly folks and tried to teach me good manners, but Ditchlers were right the reverse. In the spring of 1825, my father, Anna and I went on board of a keel boat which was bound for Little Rock in the State of Arkansas. One day as we were floating down the Ohio River, the wind was so high it sunk some corn and oats, and I saw the skiff bounding over the high waves. I thought it was a find place to ride, so I got in, but the violence of the wind broke the cable, and away the skiff went up, up stream with the wind, and had it not been for an old sailor who swam out from the boat by what is called the rocky Cave ( I went some ways into it) and brought me back, I should have been drowned. We passed by what is call the Rocky Cave. I went out to see it for it is a curious place. My father fell out with the captain of the boat and we went ashore at a town called New America. From thence we traveled on foot across the lower part of the State of Illinois until we came to the Mississippi River, near Cape La Croix, where my father left Anna and me, and he went on to Washington County, Missouri. About fall he returned and we all three went to Uncle Ephriam Stout’s who lived in Washington County, Missouri. it was there I for the first time saw my old Grandmother Stout. Soon after we came here, Anna and I were both taken with the fever and ague and I had it three months. We again set out with Uncle Ephriam and went to Tazewell County, Illinois, Soon after we got there, I went and lived with a man by the name of Nathan Dillon . I stayed here nearly two years during which time father went back up to Galena, and St. Peter’s, and then to Ohio. In the year 1827, I being an orphan child (this year sister Mary died January 5, 1827), and had to do the best I could, went and lived with a man by the name of Martin Meyers. I was a very weakly child, but this man used to abuse me by whipping me for things which I could not help, so I resolved in my mind to be avenged on him as soon as I was able. I went to school 20 days while I lived with Meyers. in the summer of 1829, Hosea and Margaret came out from Ohio, and I left Meyers and went up to Stout’s Grove. Sister Margaret had come here and by this time her husband had left her, and she was sick of the consumption. she died February 28, 1829. I went to school to Jesse Stout 20 days. I now lived with Ephriam Stout, Jr. during the winter Uncle Ephriam Stout entered a complaint in the county court and had me bound out. He was a Commissioner, but I was 14 years old, so I chose James Watson to be my master. During the summer of 1830, I went to school and learned to spell and read, for I had forgotten almost all I had ever learned. The man’s name was Archibald Johnson. About this time sister Rebecca, who still lived in Mercer County, Kentucky died of the consumption. This fall my father and sister Lydia came out form Ohio and my father, being angry at Uncle Ephriam, took me from Watson and I lived awhile with Matthew Roberts who was a fine clever man. I then went to Little Mackinaw, where father had an improvement, and sisters Sarah, Lydia, and myself kept house a few months. I then lived a few months at John Stout’s, another cousin of mine. I then lived a little while with one Henry Buckner. I then went back to Dillon’s settlement and lived a few weeks with Jonathan Hodgson. In the month of June, 1831, my father and I started to go to Texas. We took water on the Big Mackinaw River in a canoe and went out of that river into the Illinois River. We stopped at Naples, Mendota, and Beardstown and worked to get means to go on, when we passed Alton on the Mississippi River. The state prison was underway, the walls were from one to ten feet high. I took the ague and fever on the river and when we came to St. Louis, Missouri, I was so low that I could scarcely walk. We went on down to a little town called Hardinville [sic], 25 or 30 miles below St. Louis, and there caught some fish and sold them. we also sold our canoe and then got into a wagon driven by a Negro slave, and went out as far as the lead mines. This Negro stole my father’s tray trowel which was a great loss to him, for he made his living chiefly by making head trays. We set out on foot from the mines to go to Uncle Isaac Stout’s a distance of 25 miles, and then I was so weak that I could not walk more than 50 yards at a time, but I gained fast so that in a week we got the 25 miles, and the last day I walked 8 miles. We passed through Caledonia the seat of Washington County. A doctor told father I was mortifying within, and if I did not have medical aid, I would die, but he was an enemy to doctors and would not let him doctor me. Then he offered to do it for nothing. I now had a three month spell of the ague and fever, but was able to go to school some of the time. I lived awhile with John Rounds whose wife was a cousin of mine, and then awhile with Jacob Allot, whose wife was also my cousin. In the spring of 1832, John Rounds removed to St. Francis River in Wane County, Missouri, five miles from Greenville on the Tollman Smith farm. Father and I again set out for Texas on foot. We took the main military road which led to Little Rock, the Territory of Arkansas. Father’s sore leg got so bad that he could not travel so we put up with a man whose name was William Holt, an old acquaintance of father’s We stayed there two months during which time my father’s leg mortified, but he boiled verbenas leaves and applied to it, which stopped the mortification. We then pursued our journey on to Hempstead County, which lies on Big Red River. We were now out of both money and clothes, so we began to take jobs of both clearing and fencing land until we got us a few head of cows and hogs. We then made an improvement and went to keeping bachelor’s hall. We were now within seven miles of the Texas line, but on account of the war which had commenced between the Texans and Mexicans, father being quite old, declined going any farther. This was a good place to raise cotton, sweet potatoes, corn, oats, etc., but it was very sickly, especially for a northern man. We raised a crop on the improvement which we made and then we quit keeping bachelor’s hall and rented out the cleared land to one Benjamin Conover and hired out to work by the month. In the year 1824 [1834], a rich man by the name of William Beasley, entered our improvement, notwithstanding we held a preemption right, but we could not get the money to reenter it, so we referred the matter and were allowed $60.00 for our improvement. In the fall of 1835, I went to work in a cotton gin and worked all winter for a man by the name of Robert Morrow, a noted bachelor who owned a number of slaves. In the summer of 1836, I worked out by the month on a farm, and in the fall and winter in a cotton gin. About that time I was at a camp meeting and tried to get religion but I couldn’t make it go off like the Methodists and Presbyterians did, so I gave up trying anymore. There was an old man by the name of Thomas Graham who prophesied that I would make a preacher, but soon after he found that I played cards, so he was discouraged about me. February 2, 1837, father and I set out on foot for Illinois. We had beefed all our cattle and turned them into cash. We traveled on through Clark County but we found we were too heavily loaded with clothing and trumpery, so we sold off the greatest part of it. We passed by the hot Springs on the Washita River. There are about 32 springs issuing from a mountain which is covered with cedar timber, some of them are as hot as water can be made by fire, others lukewarm, and some as cold as any spring I ever saw. These hot springs will turn clay into stone in a few weeks. There are all manner of diseased persons here from all arts of the United States. They come to get their health. We traveled on to Little Rock, the Capital of the State, and there fell on company with William Royal, who married a girl by the name of Baker, a cousin of ours. As we rode in their wagon, father got his toes frosted. It was an uncommon cold day for that country. We went 40 miles with him, and stayed at this home ten days until father’s toes finally got well. while he laid there, I went with William Baker, who married one Rebecca Stout, a cousin of mine. As we returned, I steered my way through the woods and got lost and laid out all night. I saw scores of deer and we killed one before we separated, each one to take a different route home. I got in about nine o’clock a.m. and found a wedding was underway, so we had a high time the rest of the day. We again pursued our journey to Washington County, Missouri and stayed at Uncle Jacob Stout’s one month. I worked for cousin Ephriam. He was a Baptist preacher. On the 4th day of May [1837] we again set out for Illinois. We stayed one night at Selina on the Mississippi River, where we saw a show town burn down. The next morning we crossed the river and set out up the American Bottom. We traveled up to Alton and there got a steamboat bound for Peoria. As I got on the boat a man by the name of Smith asked me if my name was Stout. I said yes. He said he knew me by Lydia. I asked him if he was acquainted with my folks. He said he was and that Anna had married a Mormon. I asked him what that was, for I never before remembered having heard the name of Mormon spoken. He said it was a religious denomination of folks. I asked if they believed the Bible. He said they pretended to but any man who understood the scriptures could confound them in a moment. We set off and soon landed in Wesley City, where I found my folks well. Benjamin Jones who had married my sister Anna kept a boarding house, and he and Hosea were at carpenter work with them, and at evenings I read the book of Doctrine and Covenants. I could not get hold of a Book of Mormon. I went to a number of Sunday prayers meetings, but still the most satisfaction I could get was what Hosea would tell me, for he was well acquainted with the gospel as he is now, but had not obeyed it yet. Soon after we got here Lyman Wight, Charles C. Rich and Morris Phelps came on the from Missouri and held a meeting, so we all went to hear, and I was well pleased, and so was father, but to my great astonishment, some were very mad and said they did not teach the scriptures, but I knew better for I was well acquainted with the Bible. On the 5th of July, 1837, father and I set out for Caldwell County, Missouri, in company with Anna and Jones family, and what was called the Rich branch of the Church C. [Charles} C. Rich was our leader. Hosea, Benjamin and Lydia stayed behind to finish some jobs and settle some business, and then came on by water. we crossed the Mississippi at Quincy and traveled through Palmyra, Huntsville, Keetsville [sic], and Carlton. We got to our journey’s end about the 6th of August. My business on the road was to drive sheep and help Anna about the camping business. When we stopped, Ben’s boys and I tried to cut hay, but they were too small and I was so sick and weakly that I could not do any good at it. The weather was very rainy and we had no house to shelter in, but I tried to borrow rails from one John Cooper to make a pen to shelter in, but he refused, and afterwards let them lay and rot. I was now out of money and in a strange place. But on getting out of tobacco and coffee, I went to George M. Hinkle’s store and tried to get trusted until Hosea came on, but he would not credit me although he had agreed to do so. This made me mad, and if I had had money enough, I should have returned to the south, but fortunate for me, my money was gone. Hosea and Ben soon came on and Hosea had a good bag of cash, so he entered 200 acres of good land, and we went to work and built a house on it, and Lydia kept house for us. Father stayed sometimes at Hosea’s and sometimes at Jones’. This fall and winter I was afflicted with a breast complaint- fever sores and a breaking out on my body so I was unable to work at all. my mind was also greatly troubled, for I had become satisfied of the truth of the gospel and wished to embrace it, but still lingered back and had not courage to go forward and be baptized until on the 22nd of April, 1838, I and Thomas Rich were baptized by the hand of Charles C. Rich. It seemed to em [sic] that I could almost walk and not touch the ground. I was baptized in Lost Creek, five miles south of Far West. Soon after that I had the elders to anoint me and I was healed of both my breast complaint and fever sores, after the bone had been naked all winter on my let, etc. I had breaking out on my body in consequence of change climate and water, which was also healed. Hosea and I then rented 15 acres of ground and planted it in corn, pumpkins, melons, etc. Hosea had some of his own land in cultivation. We spent this summer in tending to our business until crops were laid by, but about that time the Johnson’s, Whitmer’s and some other apostates began to go off and swear everything they could against Joseph Smith, and all the heads of the Church. They swore to some lies and some truths which were calculated to excite the Gentiles against us insomuch that mobs began to rise and commit depredations until we were forced to resort to arms in order to save ourselves and property. The Church was organized under captains tens, fifties, one hundreds, and one thousands. This made the inhabitants mad to see us making ready to defend ourselves. They called our organization the Danite [sic] band. I belonged to the third fifty led by Reynolds Cahoon [sic]. On the 4th of July [1838], Sidney Rigdon [sic] delivered his declaration of independence , which enraged the mob worse than ever, so that by fall the whole country was under arms. Benjamin Jones took a job of building a warehouse for Mr. Pomeroy, and I went and cooked for his hands one month, but the excitement got so high that some of the inhabitants of Richmond came down to where we were at work to whip us. There came eight men down to whip three of us, and when they came, I was off from our camp on business, and old man Knapp got drunk as soon as they came, so Brother Jones was all alone, and as soon as they made their business know, Jones pulled up a stake out of the ground and bid them come on, but none of them dared to touch him. As soon as I came Jones told me what had happened. Now, we had our wagon loaded up ready to go home, but we stayed until near night just to let them see that we were not afraid of them. in the afternoon, as we went home, one of them waylaid us to shoot us, but the sheriff found it out and made him come away before we came on. We went into Richmond and I went to a store to get a wedding dress for my sister Lydia, and the mob was there threatening me on every side, but I did not notice them. We then went on two miles and stayed all night. The next morning we set out for home and got there about three o’clock p.m. and that night there was a call made for men to go and retake some prisoners from Captain Bogart, so Jones and Hosea went, but I had no arms nor saddle, so I could not go, but next morning I heard that the brethren had had a fight with Bogart and retook the prisoners, but David W. Patten, Gideon Carter, and Patterson [Patrick?] O’Banion were slain in the fight. I helped to tend on Patten while he was dying. The Church in that settlement all went into Far West that day because Sampson Avard told them that the mob would be upon them by night and kill them, but the mob fled as fast the other way, and one John Estes, went to Richmond and swore that the Mormons had fallen on Captain Bogart and killed all of his men, but him, and that they ravaging the country, upon which testimony the governor issued his extermination orders. Soon after this, general Lucas came and surrounded Far West, and the Saints surrendered their arms to him because he was sent by the governor, and soon General Clark came with an army of 1500 men and took charge of the city and got the names of as many as the apostates would give him. These apostates would hand in the names of such as they had malice against. Now these dissenters had sold the leaders of the Church into the hands of General Lucas when he first surrounded the city, And Lucan had a court martial held composed of officers, priests and privates, and the prisoners were all tried in a lump and all sentenced to be shot the next day on the temple foundation. This was all done without the knowledge of the prisoners, or any testimony on their part. And when they were notified of their doom, Lyman Wight said he would believe it when he saw it. And Joseph Smith said, ”Be of good cheer, for not a hair of our heads will be hurt.” But it happened that General Doniphan revolted from Lucan and told him that neither he nor his men should have nothing to do in such cold-blooded murder, and that put a stop to the matter for the present, and the prisoners were taken up to Jackson County. [Surrender at Far West] Now, it so happened, that I was one who was reported to General Clark, and when he had gotten all the names he could get, he called the Saints out on the temple block and had Colonel Hinkle to form them in a hollow square with his main arms around them and he and his field officers in the center, so he began to call the names of those the apostates had given in. And when he (General Clark) had caused them all to advance two paces forward and form a separate line, he informed the rest of the Saints that they could have the privilege of going to their families, but those whom he had selected should be made an example of. He also made a speech to the Saints which is recorded in the Times & Seasons printed in Nauvoo. There were about 60 of us who were to be made an example of, so we were marched to Hinkles’ store house and kept under guard all night, and the next day we were started for Richmond in Ray County. we got as far as Long Creek and were stopped for the night. The encampment was made by Clark’s main army forming a circle of about ten acres and the special guards another circle made, and the prisoners in the center. We had some corn which was ground on a horse mill and so course that a man could not get one bit without a whole grain and nothing but dirty shingles to spread it on to take it before the first, and a piece of beef to roast was our support. Then we scraped away the snow and lay down to rest until morning. We then had the same kind of a breakfast and then were marched on our way to the place of our destination. This day I was so afflicted with the rheumatism in my hips that I could scarcely walk, but we were taken within two miles of Richmond and camped as before, and had the same kind of fare at night. But the next morning we had nothing for breakfast, and were taken to Richmond and put in the court house and were promised a good warm meal at the tavern, but it was not given. So about ten o’clock at night they brought some of the chopped corn and a small skillet but the prisoners were nearly all asleep, so I went to work and baked bread all night. So I had one-fourth of a pone for each of us by day, but I did not taste of any until the rest awoke and got theirs. Also, now we were provided with a sieve after this so that our bread was much more agreeable, and soon we had a large pot given to us to cook our beef in when we had any. Now, I was kept here in this prison for three weeks during which time the mob was ransacking all the country over to get witnesses to swear against the prisoners. Among the worst of the apostates who swore falsely against the prisoners were John Corrill, Reed Peck, John Clemenson, W. W. Phelps, Sampson Avard, and George M. Hinkle. Their most dire antipathy was aimed against Joseph and the rest of the heads of the Church, but they implicated many of the prisoners swearing they were guilty of treason, and almost every other name known to the law. After three weeks of examination, the testimony was all received and read over and those of the prisoners who were not implicated in any way were set at liberty. The only crime that was proved against me was that of being a Danite, which was sworn to by Sampson Avard, but as they could find no law on the case, I was set at liberty and returned home. During my imprisonment, my fever sores were not attended to and my leg was nearly rotten so as to render me almost helpless. I got my leg hurt again and got home to my sister Anna’s home about ten o’clock at night, but Brother Jones, her husband, was yet in prison and did not get out for a week longer. I then began to try to raise means to send my brother Hosea’s wife to him, for he had escaped the mob by going up north through a wilderness country and go to Illinois with about 40 others. I sold our crop of corn for 75 cents per barrel and got $20 which enabled Sumantha to get to Quincy, Illinois where she found Hosea. I then began to try to get father and myself away for we were all forced to leave the state by the next spring. I was on my return from Richmond, landing with a span of mares and wagon, belonging to B. Jones and on the wide prairie I saw a man walking behind me. I reined in the team to let him overtake me, and who should it be but Orson Hyde, who had apostatized in the funs, but had seen a vision in which it was made known to him that if he did not make immediate restitution to the Quorum of the Twelve, he would be cut off and all his posterity, and that the curse of Cain would be upon him. I invited him to ride with me, which he was very thankful for as he was very much fatigued. I also divided my morsel of bread with him, but I was not much in love with apostates so soon after my exit from prison. But I saw that Brother Hyde was on the stool of repentance, and he did repent good and got back to his place in the Twelve. Then I took Jones’ team and joined with Brother Judd who had a yoke of oxen and a wagon, and took part of Judd’s family and my father, and went to Quincy, Illinois. I found my brother living near that city and left father there and took a team that belonged to the committee who was helping the poor out of Missouri and returned back to Far West. I there gave the team up to the committee and went on foot to clay County to see if I could help of Father Knight out. Now it had gotten to be spring and there were exceeding heavy rains, and the Saints were forced out by the mob, and women and children were dragging through the mud and water, which was the cause of many lives being lost. I found Father Joseph Knight tending East Mill. I went to work to try to find a man who would buy his land. After two weeks’ hunt I found one who gave $30 for 40 acres of good land so the old man took his family consisting of a wife and two children and three step-children, and we took a boat to Independence landing and went to St. Louis, and from thence to Quincy. Then I went out 14 miles to a little town called Rayson [sic] and worked with my brother at carpentry and other work until the 5th of July, 1839, when Hosea, Thomas Rich and myself started for commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, and came here and stayed a few days and then went over the Mississippi River into Iowa, and then began to improve a place. And Hosea and Thomas returned to Rayson while I stayed and worked on the house, but my health was so poor that I could do but little now. Father and sister Sarah who had lately come from Ohio, left and went towards Missouri, but Sarah died 25 miles below Quincy of ‘consumption and father went on to Uncle Jacob Stout’s in Missouri and died there, also of consumption. He was about 73 years of age, and of 12 children, only four were left alive. During the remainder of the summer, I worked at building a house for us to live in. I also made some rails to get me some clothing I attended the general conference on the 6th day of October, 1839, in Nauvoo at which time I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Alpheus Cutler. On the 29th of November, Sumantha [sic], my brother’s wife died. I then went back to Caldwell County, Missouri and made a visit to see my sister Lydia and then returned to Iowa and spent the winter at work, sometimes making rails and some of the time building houses. In the spring of 1840 we all moved over to Nauvoo, and I got my license as an Elder, bearing the date of April 20, 1840, which I now have in Hyrum Smith’s own handwriting, which I intended to always try and preserve. Soon after this, I set out on foot towards the south with the intent to try to preach the gospel, young and unlearned as I was, but I had never spoken in public in my life. When I got to Louisiana [Missouri], 40 miles below Quincy, I went to the Captain of a steamboat, and told him I wanted to get a passage on his boat but had no money. I also told him my business. He said I was very young to be on such an important mission but he granted my request, so I rode on his boat to Herculaneum, 25 or 30 miles below St. Louis, and then went on foot to Washington County, Missouri, where Uncle Jacob Stout and family lived. I there gave out an appointment to preach in Mr. Buford’s school house. At the appointed hour, I arose and opened by prayer and then spoke on the first principles of the gospel for about three-quarters of an hour. I was somewhat embarrassed not being used to speaking in public, but I did call on the Lord for strength and wisdom to enable me to perform my duty with an eye single to his glory. I then gave leave for remarks, but none was made, so I gave out an appointment ten miles up the river at the widow McNeil’s house, whose wife was my cousin, made some remarks. He was a Methodist class leader. I then went 50 miles further south to John Rounds, who also married my cousin, and there preached five times in Randolph and Lawrence Counties. I then went on to Batesville, where I was threatened to be hanged and burned by an old doctor, but the landlord of the tavern made him stop his noise. So I went on to White County and held a meeting at Thomas Raya’s [sic] then went ten miles to Gabriel Baker’s whose wife was a Stout. I there preached once and then went on to the city of Little Rock and gave out an appointment to preach in the city hall, at early candlelight, but as soon as I arose about 40 or 50 men arose on their feet and began to ask impertinent questions and then began to stamp on the floor and swear. I tried to call the house to order three times and this only made them worse. So I started down stairs and one man said to me, “If you are not out of this city by sunrise, you will ride out on a rail.” I told him that I have never yet rode in that manner, nor I was not afraid of having to do it. I then returned to the hotel where I had stopped, and several of the citizens came to me and asked me if I would preach if they would call out the police and keep order. I said I would. So they deliberated on the matter, but finally said that they would have to kill some of those ruffians to keep order. So they gave it up, but they were anxious to hear a Mormon preach. I then returned to White County to Baker’s and he gave me a chance to go to school free of cost. So I stopped awhile and still preached in that and adjoining settlements until fall, but the school did not get underway, so I returned to Nauvoo to the fall conference on the 6th of October, 1840. I stayed in Nauvoo until about the 20th of November [1840] and then set out on foot through the swamps towards Little Rock. The first day I traveled 14 miles and stayed all night and in the morning, the man of the house would not let me go until he had searched me and my valise for money, though I told him I had none in the evening before. I then went on and had to wade through mud and water and some ice until I came to Gabriel Baker’s in White County, Arkansas. I there found a trail on hand before Baker and another Esquire. They were trying Henry Stacey for the crime of murder, which was not uncommon in that country. I stayed there through the winter and went to school some of the time, worked some and preached the gospel in several of the adjoining settlements. I baptized Lewis Kirtpatrick while I was there. And on or about the 4th of July, 1841, I got a letter from my brother Hosea in Nauvoo stating that the mob was about the act of kidnapping Joseph and taking him to Missouri. So I wrote a letter and put my elder’s license in it and directed it to Nauvoo, then left my books and journals at Brother Kirtpatrick’s and set out on foot for home. I passed through Missouri to St. Genevive in a week, then took steam passage and got to Nauvoo in ten days from the time I left Kirtpatrick’s a distance of 500 or 600 miles and walked half of the way. On getting home, I found that Brother Joseph had gotten a habeas corpus and was set a liberty. I then went with Brother John S. Higbee down to St. Louis on a fishing spree. We fished with seine, and took them to St. Louis and so I got myself some clothes. Then I returned to Nauvoo and worked awhile at tending a shingle machine and soon after I went to work at a carpenter and joiner work. On the 20th day of October, 1842, I received a commission as third lieutenant in a company of the Nauvoo Legion. This same year I was initiated, passed and raised to the various degrees of masonry. I took great delight in this order of things insomuch that I improved every opportunity to learn the lectures and all the principles pertaining to that ancient and honorable order. This fall I had a severe spell of sickness and as soon as I was able to do anything I began to drive a span of horses belonging to Miles Anderson. I stayed at his house all winter until the 1st of April, 1843, during which time I became acquainted with his oldest daughter Elizabeth. Our acquaintance continued to increase until it grew to the strongest attachment and love, but all unbeknownst to either of our friends. This spring I went to school a few weeks to a man by the name of Warren and then went to carpenter work. On the 8th of July, 1843, I received a commission of Captain of the 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 2nd Cohort, Nauvoo Legion. About this time Brother Joseph was again taken prisoner by a band of incarnate demons in the northeast part of the state. So the steamer, Maid of Iowa, was named and went around by the mouth of the Illinois River and up as far as Peru and we there learned that Joseph was taken to Nauvoo. So we returned and found him at home and set at liberty. During the voyage I suffered much with the toothache and was quite sick. I still grew more and more attached to the object of my affection, and on the 7th day of July, 1843, Elizabeth Anderson, married to me by Elder Charles C. Rich, but her parents and friends were so much opposed to our union that we left her father’s house and went to James Pace’s to get married, and I never went into their house for over two years again. I then took passage on board the steamer Maid of Iowa, with my wife and set out for Black River, Wisconsin Territory in company with Lyman Wight, George Miller and about 100 others to work in the lumbering business for the Nauvoo House and Temple. We were about five days getting up to Prairie LaCross. We then shipped our good on keel boats and polled and cordelled [sic] up Black River to the Mormon Mills at the falls of the river. My business was chiefly carpenter and joiner work, building houses for the company to winter in. I worried the most of the time only when I was sick which was a week or so. About the 1st of March [1844] our provisions gave out, so as to leave us quite hungry. Some ate an ox after he had been dead three weeks, and I ate of a piece and salted it and set it away but it stank so that it made me sick, and just as I was done fixing my stinking meat, two sled loads of flour hove in sight, so I did not eat any of that old carcass. March 12th [1844] I began to build me a boat to go back to Nauvoo in and when I got my flat boat done, Lyman Wight swapped me a skiff for it so I set out with my wife about the 15th of March in my skiff down the Black River. We met with some difficulty by the ice which was running in the river. We stayed at a Mr. Douglas’ Mill the first night and the second we camped to the river side of the woods. The third night we got to Prairie LaCross. We found that the Winonagagoes [sic] Indians had been killing one another and were in an excited state. We stayed all night at the trading post and got some little provisions, then set out down the Mississippi River. The weather was squally, the winds and waves made it dangerous traveling some of the time, but we got opposite Galena and put up with a bachelor some of the time, because of the wind and rain. We stayed there two or three weeks and he wanted us to stay all year. he offered us great wages but we were anxious to et back to Nauvoo. I then sold my skiff and took passage of a steamboat and once again got back to the city of the Saints. I then went to work on the seventies hall at joiner work for a few weeks, then at carpenter work and with my brother Hosea. We took jobs and I worked out a milk cow. I had to rent houses to live in not begin able to build. On the 1st day of May, 1844, Elizabeth brought forth a son, and we called his name Charles Heber. This gave us great joy in the midst of our poverty. The child continued to grow fast and was a source of much comfort to us. My health was poor so as to not be able to do much hard work. Now, there began to be excitement in the regions round about, so that the [Nauvoo] Legion was called out, which occupied my time as I had command of one company of footmen. The mob was determined to have the prophet and we were determined that they should not, so we kept under arms day and night for many weeks, but finally Joseph and Hyrum gave themselves up to be tried by the persuasion of false brethren and were taken out to Carthage. And while they were in jail, Brother Joseph wrote an official order to Jonathan Bunham [sic] to bring the legion and reserve him from begin killed, but Dunham did not let a single man or mortal know that he had received such orders, and we were kept in the city under arms, not knowing but all was well, until the mob came and forced the prison and slew Joseph and Hyrum Smith and wounded John Taylor severely. Their dead bodies were brought to Nauvoo where I saw their beloved forms reposing in the arms of death, which gave me such feelings as I am not able to describe. But I there and then resolved in my mind that I would never let an opportunity slip unimproved of avenging their blood upon the head of the enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ. I felt as though I could not live. I knew not how to contain myself, and when I see one of the men who persuaded them to give up to be tried, I feel like cutting their throats. And I hope to live to avenge their blood, but if I do not, I will teach my children to never cease to try to avenge their blood and then their children and children’s children to the fourth generation as long as there is one descendant of the murderers, upon the earth. Now, soon after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, I joined the Old Police and was under arms day and night when I was well enough, but I am frequently sick of the fever and ague, by being out on guard on nights. The police drew one dollar per day for services in city scrip until the legislature of Illinois repealed the city charter and then Brother Brigham Young called the Old police together and told them that there was no visible means of pay, but said he wanted all who felt disposed to continue to guard the city, and the Lord would open some way for their support. But some of the police quit service when the pay stopped, but I kept on guard, still believing that the Lord was able to fee me, and soon after I got a berth in the Nauvoo Lodge where I got $1.50 per day and only had to act about three hours each day. On the 22nd day of December, 1844, I received license as a seventy, was ordained some time before. I lived in rented houses, not being able to build for myself. I was sick considerable of the time this winter but I was on guard whenever I was able, and on the 9th day of February, 1845, I was ordained by A. P. Rockwood, a President in the 19th Quorum of Seventy Samuel Moore, Senior President. President Brigham Young told a dream he had concerning a man child whom some say was dead, but he looked at him and saw that he breather, and the child grew fast. No this, he said, was the priesthood; thought the Prophet was slain, yet the priesthood remained unhurt. Now I taught an evening lecture school this winter on masonry, as many who had been in the lodge had not been well versed in the lectures. I continued guard, lecture school, sword school and various meetings all winter and spring. February 16th [1845] my family was not well, my child was sick of a fever. February 19th [1845] I worked at joiner’s work and went to the sword school in the afternoon and to the lodge at night, and at midnight on guard in a storm of wind and rain, suffering with the ear and teeth ache. Now this is a sample of my duties (see scrap journals for particulars). February 21st [1845] I rent a house of Simeon A. Dunn for $1.50 a month, opposite the Nauvoo House store. February 24th [1845] I moved to the house I had rented. February 25th [1845] At the police meeting at the usual hour. We heard that the Twelve were in danger out at Macedonia and a company was sent to see to it, but the mob did not hurt them. I then fixed my army in good trim for any emergency that might come. February 27th [1845] At night John Scott and I were on patrol guard, near Mr. Clapps’ store, and we heard a cry down toward the mansion house as if someone was being killed. We ran to the spot but could see no one but William Marks who was in a rage because someone had thrown some stinking filth and ink upon Washington Peck, an apostate who was boarding at the mansion house. March 1st [1845] Stormy. March 3rd [1845] We began to fix for a garden and so on through the month. I stood guard half of every other night and did as much other business as I could. I bought a house and lot in the north part of the city, but it was so far off I did not live in it, but rented it out. On the 6th of April [1845] conference began. I had to assist in keeping the alleys clear, and such other business as the high policemen ordered. During this conference. Dr. Charles complained that the boys were following him with big knives and whistling at him. April 19th [1845] I went and engaged cakes and beer for the police to have spree April 12th [1845] We had a feast of cakes and ginger beer, etc. (see scrap journals no. 2) We had a merry time. April 14th [1845] The babe was sick April 1st [1845] the elders administered to Charles and he got better so that we could rest at night. Until May Ist stood on guard, worked at gardening, served in the lodge, etc. I was quite unwell the forepart of May so as to scarcely be able to get about. May 12th [1845] I took a schedule of the arms and ammunition o my company so as to make out an official report to the commanding officer of the [Nauvoo] Legion. May 15th [1845] It was a day of fasting and prayer. My wife and I went and she was sick at evening so I missed going to the police meeting for the first time in a great while. May 30th [1845] I went up to the top of the tower of the temple, and I could see all the region round about (see scrap journal no. 3) June 5th and 6th [1845] My breast complaint was preying upon me so as to disable me from doing much. Monday, the 12th, myself and Daniel Carns were fined $1.50 each for getting angry, to be paid in beer. Charles was sick for some weeks. June 15th [1845] Sunday, my wife’s brothers and sister were all that were old enough, baptized and I helped to confirm them. Monday the 23rd [June 1845] I was detained on guard at President Brigham Young’s on the first watch of the night and J. Scott on the latter. but before John went to bed we heard a few blows struck as if someone was beating an ox with a club, which was followed by shrieks. So Scott ran towards the noise and met Irvine Hodge coming towards us who cried out, “Don’t kill me.” Scott said “Who are you? I am John s.” “I know you are my friend,” said Hodge, and caught hold of Scott’s arm, and they came opposite of Young’s door, and said he “I am a butchered man,’ and immediately he fell. As soon as a light could be gotten, we found that the blood was running from his side, and there was soon a crowd of men on the ground, but he soon expired. And there was a jury called and body examined, which was stabbed three or four times and cut several of his ribs from his back bone, but the assassins escaped for it was so dark that a man could not be seen. Wednesday, July 1st [1845] I still kept on guard and worked on the lodge and made as much garden as I could. About those days I wrote my scrap journal in phonography [sic], but was not well skilled in the science, so it is hard to read it. (see scrap book 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th) I made ginger beer to sell this summer and I tended the Nauvoo House meat market, stood guard, etc. until the 1st of September [1845] and then there began to be trouble in the regions of bear Creek, Carthage and Warsaw, so that we had to fly to arms again to protect ourselves against the mob. I had very [poor] health all the time but continued to stand guard as much as possible, of night’s and also keep with my company on duty whenever required. this fall, Elder Heber C. Kimball asked me to move on one of his rooms to live there the winter. Soon after we moved into Brother Kimball’s house, he sealed my wife to me and on the 3rd of December, 1845 my wife brought forth her second son and I called his name Allen Joseph. The object of my living at Brother Kimball’s was to be on hand at a minute’s warning if anything should take place that he needed help, for the mob was determined to destroy the heads of the Church if possible. Now we were making every arrangement possible for starting in the spring for the west, somewhere, I knew not where. Some said to Vancouver Island, but had to go somewhere. We could not stay in Nauvoo any longer without fighting all the time. So the Church preferred going into exile, and accordingly, on the 10th day of February, 1846, I left Brother Heber C. Kimball’s’ house and crossed the great Mississippi River, for I knew not where, but I had no team, so I left nearly all my little household stuff and sent in with my father-in-law in his big five-horse wagon. But the weather was bad, snow, rains and winds came on incessantly so that we could not travel for some weeks, so we lay in camp on Sugar Creek where I again was on guard all the time. My brother Hosea was the captain of al the guards, about 200, and I was a captain of ten. While we were camped on Sugar Creek, Benjamin Stewart, one of Captain W. I. Earl’s men, shot one of my men by the name of Abner Blackburn, which was done by carelessly handling a big holster pistol! It was only a flesh wound and soon got well. I was there taken with the sore eyes so that when the camp moved on, I had to stay behind a week, but I got my eyes doctored up and rolled ahead, and overtook the camp at what was called Richardson’s Point. I had given my company in charge of Brother Martin Erwell while I was blind with the sore eyes. It was the 16th of March [1846], when I overtook the camp. We went out to work for the Gentiles to get provisions, for it was so wet and muddy we could not travel, but on the 19th we struck our tents and traveled 15 miles. Friday, 20th [March 1846] sent my family ahead and stayed back with my company with Brother Brigham. we traveled 12 miles. Sunday the 22nd, [March 1846] we went on four miles and came to Charlton River where we had a hard road to travel, hills and muddy. I saw 25 yoke of oxen to one wagon to get up a hill. Here we lay in camp until the 1st of April, 1846, during which time I peddled off some books for corn and other provisions. My father-in-law, Brother Anderson, swapped a large wagon for a smaller one, and got a cow, 15 bushel of corn, and 285 pounds of bacon to boot. Here also, some of my men discharged and went back for their families, etc. I was relieved of a great deal of care and anxiety, so we again went on a few miles through mud and mire and camped on Shoal Creek., where I camped with Brother Brigham’s company. Here I herded the cattle. Friday the 3rd. [April 1846] we started early, but there come a thunder shower so that the road got so muddy that we had to double our teams, and so some got stuck in the mud, and did not get to camp that night. So we kept rolling on from place to place through the mud until the 27th when we pitched our tents in a beautiful grove of timber where we began to make a farm. This place was called Garden Grove. Here it was determined by the council that those who were out of provisions should stop and rise a crop. About these times, the rattlesnakes bit a good many of the our animals, and there was a great exposure the Saints were forced to undergo. There one of Hosea’s boys died. There was great want of bread in camp, so that we were oppressed on every hand, but we cried o the Lord, who heard our prayers, and we were fed by his-all-bountiful hands, but some showed out their evil hearts by their mean mutterings and selfishness. On the 15th [May 1846] the camp rolled on, but I still stayed at camp for I was quite sick and worn out by continually herding stock and waiting on the sick. Tuesday the 19th [May 1846] we again set off for the next location. Saturday, the 23rd [May 1846] we overtook the main camp on the middle fork of the Grand River, which is a rich prairie country with beautiful groves of timber on the water courses. Here we stayed until Tuesday, the 2nd of June, 1846, when the camp began to move off, and I and my father-in-law had to go down to grand River 40 or 50 miles to get some cattle he had traded a wagon for. On the 9th of June, 1846 , I was taken with something like a fit which caused me to fall into the fire, but did not get burned. On the 11th [June 1846] we moved into a house belonging to a man named Logan. Friday 12th of June, 1846, I was taken with a hot fever and continued to get worse for some time so that I was only able to speak when I was sent for my Brother Brigham to go in the [Mormon] Battalion to fight the Mexicans. Saturday the 20th [June 1846] The fever began to subside so there began to be some hopes of my recovery. On the 25th [June 1846] I was well enough to sit up in the wagon so we started for Garden Grove, where we arrived on the 28th, and on the 30th we moved into brother Duncan McArthur’s house, who was very kind to me in my affliction. Here I remained for some time, gaining strength slowly. July 20th, 1846, I again began to work. My wife and children had the sore eyes on account of our exposure. August 4, 1846, I sent off some kegs and bad cords which I had made, by Brother McArthur to sell to get some little notions to make us comfortable. My eyes got so sore I could scarcely see to work. August 21st [1846] I began to cut a set of house logs, and on the 22nd, I finished cutting them so I hauled my logs and built me a house and before I could get it done, my wife was taken down with the billous [sic] fever and was very sick so that I could do nothing but tend her, until the 25th, when Allen, my youngest son was taken with bad diarrhea, and came near dying. August 27th [1846] My wife began to mend. On the 30th [August 1846] we were all better of our illness. October 1, 1846, A. W. Babbitt come on from Nauvoo and told of the battle that they had with the mob and surrendered of the city to them. I now bought a piece of land with a crop on it of W. Chapman. On the 1st I sold my house to William Hickman, who moved in with me. On the 23rd [October 1846] I moved into the house that I bought. I worked at repairing my house and tending on my sick folks until the 6th day of November, 1846, when I learned that my father-in-law was on the road with a sick family, three of them had died. November 7, 1846, my wife now began to do a little of the housework, which relieved me. I now et out on foot to meet my father-in-law, and went 25 miles and met them. I got back November 8, 1846, and my father-in-law moved in with me, and we all remained until the 14th, during which time I sold of such things aa [sic] I could not haul, and we again set out for Council Bluffs and went two and one-half miles. 15th [November 1846] we traveled 12 miles and camped on a creek called White Breast. On the 16th [November 1846] we had to hunt cows all day. 17th [November 1846] we started on our way, and got to Mt. Pisgah on the 19th. On the 29th {November 1846] I passed the grave of my brother’s other son, who died as he was passing by that place. December 4th 1846, we came to the main fork of the Visnabotma [sic] where we killed a fat steer and rested ourselves. We the went on through mud, frost and cold winds until the 10th of December, 1846, when we came to the Missouri river, where the main camp was in Winter Quarters. I crossed the river on the ice and went to my brother Hosea’s house. here the Saints had built a city in six weeks time. On the 13th [December 1846] we crossed the river and I went into my brother’s tend and went on guard the first night. Hosea and I then cut and hauled a set of house logs, and I got me a small cabin and moved into it. I continued to stand guard at night, but cut wood and sell it for other eatables. I got 75 cents a night for police service and then worked all I could so that I made out to keep something to eat and wear. We were troubled with the Lamah [sic] Indians. They would steal everything they could get their hand on, so that there had to be a constant guard at night and day. All spring and summer I was out on horseback 100 days guarding the herds, and stood on guard at night all I could. I also kept the stray pound which kept me very busy. I was taken sick of the ague and fever several times. The atmosphere was very heavy and damp of nights. I got nine acres of land in cultivation. I also bought a cabin of Brother Lindsay Brady and left the ones built for my brother to occupy. Now, Brother Brigham took a company of pioneers and went west to hunt a resting place for the Saints and located Great Salt Lake City in the Great Basin of the Rocky Mountains. He then returned to Winter Quarters. Now, I was on guard day and night as much as my strength would permit, and seemed to be doing well until in December when my wife was taken sick. She got so bad that I was finally prevailed on the get Dr. J.M. Bernhisel [sic] to tend on her, and he gave her some medicine, bled her, and put a Spanish fly blister on her back, and she seemed to get better. So I went 25 miles up the river to summer quarters to asses the property of the settlement for tax purposes and on my return I found that my wife had been confined a few hours before I go back. This was the 25th of January, 1848. Now I was engaged in assessing and collecting taxes for the payment of the police and mounted guards, but I found it was a thankless job, for the people were poor and some that were able to pay would not, but I had to keep trying day after day. I also had to tend to the stray pound which was a hard task. Now my wife seemed to be very weak and grew worse so I had to stay by her day and night, but in spite of all I knew how to do an inflammation took place, and on the 30th day of January, 1848, she died at 2 o’clock p.m. Now the weather was very cold and I sent word to her father and mother who came down as soon as they could, and on the 1st of February, they came and we buried her the same day. Now I was in a benighted condition without a wife, with three little helpless children and a journey of 1100 miles to perform without an animal to help me, and what to do I did not know. So I continued to pour out my soul in prayer to God day and night for him to open up some way for me to support my little ones and get them to the valleys of the mountains. So I sent my three babes off for a few weeks, and I went to see them once in a week or so until I got my sister Anna to come and keep house for me. I then hired a girl by the name of Eliza Shurtliff to help my sister and then went and got my children and kept them at home. So I continued to hire first one girl and then another to help my sister. 17th February, 1848 1.
How
solemn is the lonesome night 2.
Elizabeth, oh where art thou? 3.
Ah, yes
me thinks I hear thee say 4.
The
time is even near at hand 5.
There
we shall see each other’s face 6.
Elizabeth, me thinks I hear 7.
That
they may learn to do the things 1.
How
sorrowful and sad does every moment roll, 2.
But she
alas; is gone to some healthful clime 3.
To reap
a just reward for all our sufferings here, Now the Saints were starting out for the mountains, and all who would not go must return across the Missouri river, for we were on Indian land and the Gaent [sic] had ordered us off. Some time about the 3rd of April I hired Amanda m. Fisk to work for my sister and towards the last of April, my sister was going over the river, but I had agreed with Miss Fisk to get married. So on the 30th of April, 1848, Brigham Young and Thomas Bullock came over and we were wedded at my own house. Now this was unexpected to some of our friends who wondered how I was to get along with my children. I now moved back over the river and went out on Pigeon Creek and rented a house and garden spot of Riley Howard. now I began to put in a garden, but I had traded for an Indian pony, so I had something to ride, as I had a heap of going about to do now. I met with some old Masonic friends who gave me five dollars in gold which was a help to me, and I taught a lecture school which brought me something to eat. I then went on a visit to Ray County, Missouri to see my sister Lydia, and when I started back, John Larkey gave me five dollars. After I got back home I went 150 miles back to Iowa to vote in the August election. This was done to accomplish some political movement. There was a large company of us. we were gone two weeks. This was rest and recreation for me, for I had been so long in public business that my mind needed a rest. I got home on the 15th of August 1848 and found my family well, but I took cold on the trip which gave me the ague, so that I was sick for two weeks so as to do no work out as outfit for the valley. We made fifteen miles travel and stayed at Kanesville, where I settled up my tithing and some other business. we then pursued our journey. Oct. 16th, 1848, I set out for St. Joseph Mo. To try to work an outfit for the Valley. We made fifteen miles travel and staid at Kanesville, where I settled up my tithing and some other business. We then pursued our journey, which was one hundred fifty miles distant. We staid at my wife’s grandmothers one night as we went to St. Jos. We got to St. Jos. On the 25th. I then began to mold rails and make wash boards for a living. I tried visiting the St. Joseph lodge but found them very rusty; they had not a man in their Lodge who could confer the degree of a kinsman, or give the lecture of the three degrees. I started to go back to the Bluffs of business, but the weather was so cold that I had to turn back after I had gone fifty miles, it was to cold that I could not set on the mule without freezing. So I got back and went to work in a wagon shop for Green Cauton [sic]. And continued that business most part of my time until April the 16th 1849, when my wife brought forth a daughter and we called her name Lydia Mariah Fisk. I had to make a trip up to Lynden and another down to Camden this spring on business for my wagon shop again. About two weeks after Lydia was born I blowed [sic] and struck for a blacksmith one half day, and that night I was taken down with my breast so bad I was senseless for weeks so that none thought I could live. But just as they thought I was going to die I began to get better, and continued to gain slowly. For months now a man by the name of Samuel Hillman a doctor came and attended on my wife and me who were both sick. He said he was a Mormon and his wife was in Ill. And he wanted my help to get his children to church. So I promised him to help him to get them, but was not able to go until late in summer. So I went and tried to get them but his wife would not let them go. Now when I found out that I could do him no good, I got on a steamboat at St. Louis and returned home. I then settled up my business in St. Joseph and got on a steamer, call St. Joseph with my family, consisting of a wife and four children, and started down the Mo. River for Camden City about one hundred fifty miles. On our way we passed a collapsed steamer called Saida [sic] . Her Captain was killed; she collapsed again soon after and killed a number of Saints who were on their way to the Valleys. As we were on the steamer I was taken with ague. We got to Camden and I went to my sisters five miles up the river. My sister was in good health now, but she had been very low. We staid in with my sister until I got a little better. I then rented a house and moved into it. Now Martha Ann was so sick that we could just see that she breather, and my wife was taken with ague and fever, so I got some Russin Bark, which broke up the ague on my wife; and some of Dr. Moffats [sic] vegetable pills cured Martha of the diarrhea that almost run to an inflammation. We now began to get our health again, so I started out to seek a place for the winter, and I rented a place in Clay Co. Mo. Of a man by the name of Price, and moved into it. I then went to work at digging potatoes. I also cleared a heap of apples after the folks were done gathering them. I now was in the midst of old mobbers who had drove the Saints from Mo., in 1838-39, but they did not know me. I went and saw the old corty [sic] house where I was a prisoner under Gen. Clark and Sterling Price in the fall of 1838. I wanted to burn the old county house down but had no opportunity to do it. But in the course of the fall of 1849 I got in a fuss with the Old Mo. Mobacrats [sic] and I have to leave and go back to the Bluffs till the next spring; during which time my family underwent many hardships and endured may privations, for the Gentiles tried to take the children from us and bind them out, but with the help of a few true hearted friends we made out, to prevent their being bound out. But some of the brethren who were in Mo. Befriended her, but some others tried to help the Gentiles to use me up soul and body. But I continued to humble myself before the Lord and call on his name for to be delivered from the Gentiles. Now, when Brother Joseph Grover brought my wife up from Mo. To me at Kanesville [sic] , I rented a house of Brother Moses Mecham, true friends to me, and went to compounding essence and peddling them, for my health was so poor that I could not do any hard work without laying me up. But I found this business paid the best of anything I have seen at since I left Nauvoo. So I went ahead at the peddling, buying and selling various things and made a good living at it for a year now. On the 9th of March 1851 my wife was confined and she had a son and we called his name Alfred Fisk, after father. Now I was making every preparation to get off to Utah so I got what bread stuff and other things for a fitort [sic] that I could and got a wagon by hauling 600 pounds of freight for Elder Hyde. I then got three yoke of wild steers of John Brown, the agent for the Perpetual Emigration fund and on the 20th of May 1851 we left the house of M. Mecham and went in to camp. Now this was an unusual rainy spring, and the water course were very high, so that we lay in camp on and about the Mo. River until the 4th of July, when we left the Grove seven miles west of old winter quarter; but while we were there I went and looked at the grave of my departed wife, which was so grown with weeds that I could scarcely designate it. We were in Alfred Gordens company of fifty and I was in my father-in-laws company of Ten. Now, in consequence of the high waters we set out on the 4th of July to head the Elkhorn River which was overflowed from Bluff to bluff, so that we traveled one hundred fifty miles out of our way to get around the river. We had to roll through sand, mud, and water over hills and through trackless plains, except by Indian and buffalo so that when we struck the old road my team was badly used up. I saw thousands of buffalo at a time; they were like herds of cattle on the wide level prairies, just as far as the eye could see. We now traveled up the Big Platt River on the north side till we came to Fort Laramie, where we crossed the river, then traveled up the south side through the Black Hills. We had to stop once in a while a few days to mend wagons and let our women wash. My health was very bad, so that I had to hire my share of guarding the stock. When we struck the Sweet Water, at what is called Independence Rock, my wife was taken with inflammatory rheumatism, and was not able to get out of the wagon until we got to the Ballery; so I had to cook for my family, tend on my sick wife and five babies, and manage my team, but still paid my share of guarding. So we rolled on up the North Fork of Sweet Water, where my wagon broke down, and I had to cache my freight and go leave it, which consisted of twenty big plows. We now set out again and rolled on until we came to Big Sandy, in ten miles of Green River where our company collapsed, and I came on with James Lowe, who was the Captain of ten in the place of Anderson, who had been put out. Now Bro. Lowe relieved me of either guarding or paying for it. We rolled on through the Mountains and up and down the canyons till the 2nd day of Oct. when I rolled my wagon up to my brother Hosea’s house in Great Salt Lake City, and Hosea brought out his wife’s big chair, and him and me lifted my wife out of the wagon and set her in the chair and carried her in the house. I had lost one ox on the plains and the wolves killed another after I got in before I returned use of two yoke, and to pay for one yoke that I had lost. I then went to the Tithing office, and paid the tenth of all the stores and bought oil and alcohol and went to making and selling all sorts of essence, and a great many other articles. Now in three days time my wife was able to get about so I rented a house of Melvina Snow, and moved into it. Shortly after this the chicken pox got into my family, and my wife was so bad with it that Dr. Clinton thought she had the smallpox; and the children, some of them had it very severe. I was so feeble that I could but get around with my basket of essence and trade for something to eat. I lived in sister Snows house until March, 1852, when I rented a house and garden. I worked at gardening and peddling until August when I set out to go back to Sweet Water to get the freight I has cached, which was one hundred forty miles. I went in Captain E. K. Fullers Company, who were going to meet the emigrants on and help them in, but when I got there my plows were, twelve of them gone so I and Brother Jared Porter loaded up a ton of old wagon tires, and the eight plows and returned to the Valley in company with Captain Clarks Company who got out of bread and we divided ours with them until we were out; and we borrowed some and paid two pounds for one when we got home. But before I got gone I was warned of coming trouble, and when I got home I found my oldest sons sick with a pain in his heel, which got worse and finally bathered [sic] and broke, and got so bad that it seemed as if his foot must come off, when an inflammation of the bowels took place, and he died on the 19th of November 1852, being eight years six months and nineteen days old. The following lines I composed on his death; 1.
Thou
art gone my dear son to thy mother 2.
But
though I should linger a season 3.
But
when’er my labor is ended About this time or a little before my brother was sent on a mission to China; and on the 14th of December we had another son born,, 1852, and called his name Hosea Fisk Stout and on the 30th of December, by brothers wife had a son and called his name Joseph Allen, and on the 10th of Jan. 1853 the child died of ereysipelas [sic]; and Louisa, my brothers wife was fast declining when her baby died; and on the 12th of Jan. she expired. Now she left three small children, and I did not expect that my brother would return for five years; so I moved into his house to try to take care of his children. But in the spring of 1853, President Young advised me to let the children go and live with their grandmother; and then moved up to Davis Co. Twelve miles north of Great Salt Lake City, and got a small piece of land for a garden of Thomas Rich. I then built a house and planted a garden and sold essence to get vituals [sic] to eat, and worked some in the canyons at getting wood and some of the time made and sold Ginger Beer. There was a great emigration going through to Calif., which made money plentiful and I made a heap by trading with them. On the 3rd of Feb. 1855 my wife gave birth to another son and we called his name David Fisk. I made a garden this year again on Bro. T. Rich’s place, but the grasshoppers were so numerous that they destroyed the crop nearly all over the country which made provisions very scarce. In the fall of 1855 I hired Elihu H. Hyatt to work a circular saw mill at making shingles, so I moved to Mill Creek in Salt Lake County, and I began to work in the mill and continued all winter and in the spring of 1856, I rented a small farm down on the land o f Mill Creek and put in a crop. Now I was harder run this summer for provisions than I had ever been in these valleys. I was often so weak for want of food that I would take trembling spells so as to be obligated to lay down in the field or wherever I happened to be. I raised some corn, potatoes, what, and 1000 cabbage etc. and in the fall I went back and worked in Hiatts Mill, and on the 13th of Jan. 1857 we had another daughter born and called her name Rebecca Alvira Fisk. I continued to work in the shingle mill and at making baskets for a living., until in the last of March. I rented a farm of Julian Moses and Amos Neff, over three miles on Big Cottonwood Creek, and moved over and began to put in a crop. But in those days president Buchanan had sent an army over the plains to annihilate the Saints, So the Saints after considerable manouvering [sic] in the mountains concluded to flee south. So I with the rest packed up and went over to Utah Co., by the help of Brother John B. Brunell, for I had no team so began to fence a bit of land one and one quarter miles south of Pleasant Grove City. And I also commenced making Malt Beer for sale, which proved to be a profitable business. So I made beer, and raised crops and made out quite well, so that I soon got a good milk cow, and then a yoke of steers, I bought some more land so that I had sixteen acres under fence. And on the 14th of Feb. 1859, we had another son born and called his name Allen Joseph Fisk. I still made and sold beer, and farmed a little. I planted an orchard of 300 trees, and was doing the best kind with an extensive run of custom both retail and wholesale; had plenty to eat and wear for which I thanked my Heavenly Father; for I was well acquainted with poverty in its most wretched state, so that I was able to realize the few blessing which I was now in possession of. Jan 15, 1861, we had another daughter born and called her Amanda Melvina Fisk. I continued to farm and brew; and in the fall of 1861 I had got me 100 dollars worth of hay stacked, and had a few sheep, and thought myself settled for good, with a fair prospect for plenty of fruit in a few year. But the first I knew I received a letter from my brother stating that him and me were both called to go to the south to raise cotton. Now this was joyful news to me for I was glad to leave the cold country and get where I could raise southern products; but my wife felt bad for she thought she could not live in a hot climate, for she was very fleshy, and weighed two hundred fifty pounds; but she finally reconciled herself so as no to feel too bad about it. I began to try to sell out but there was so many called at the same time that I could only get one yoke of oxen and one year old heifer for my place, with the hay, potatoes and household stuff which I left; the whole was work 1200 dollars. But I sold out and set for Dixie on the 31st of Oct. in company with my brother. No I had eight head of cattle and four sheep, and we each had 11 in family; and I arrived on Cottonwood Creek on the 28th of Nov. 1861. I now began to try to commence to farm, but soon after I got here it began to be wet weather and continued to rain every few days all winter. I had to go from forty to sixty miles North of mill. My wife was taken down with inflammatory rheumatism. I had no house but lived in a tent and wagons. But I worked at building a hut between showers and in the rain, but it was spring before I got a shelter. My oldest son was also down with the rheumatism. I then went up to Cedar City to help my brothers family come down, for they had to winter weather up there while he had to go to the Legislature. My brother and me and our boys now began to plant cotton and corn, and cane, but my brother was called to go to St. George, so he set out for that place, so I went on with my crop; but I had to go to the mill every four weeks as a general thing; but my boys made a good crop with me to help them a little. In the fall of 1862 we harvested our cotton and cane and corn, and then worked at making stone fence, and various kinds of work, but my breast was very bad a great deal of the time. In the spring of 1863 we set in to make another crop and planted four acres of cotton, one and onehalf of cane, four of corn; and I got out 300 fruit trees and some garden stuff. I am laid up with a pain in my side so as to disable me from work, but my boys are out in the field at work with all their mights. I have struggled hard these twenty years almost, to get along and the Lord has blessed me with a large family who now begin to take some of the load off my shoulders. When I look back on my past life and reflect on the many times that the Lord has raised me up from the verge of the grave , and delivered me from the hand of those who sought my life, I feel to thank and praise his Holy Name for the multitude of his tender mercies. And I humble pray that he will bless my children in like manner and enable them to help build up the kingdom of God on the earth, and avenge the blood of the Prophets. On the 18th of May 1863, we had another son born and called his name John Henry Fisk. Now I have six sons and four daughters living; and I wish to say something to them to look on when I am gone from them and they get old enough to understand the ways of the Lord and the order of His Kingdom. I want you to ever keep with the church and observe the order of the church; in all things obey council to the best of you ability; seek to roll on the work of the Lord in your lifetime, for there is a great work for you to perform in the temple of the Lord, which you will help to rear to His name. And you must attend to the ordinances of the Priesthood for our dead friends, perhaps for your own parents, for we have not yet done our work. And if we do not live to attend to the Holy ordinances, we want you to finish our work. We have worn out our bodies in laying a foundation for you to build on; we have grappled with the powers of darkness to help to commence a work which we know will never be destroyed, but we do not expect to live to enjoy much of the fruit of our labor; but we have labored for you that we might leave a rich reward with you. You will see the towers of Zion rise above all earthly objects. If you are faithful some of you will live to see the Son of God come in the clouds of heaven. You will see the Nations of the earth come bending to the standards of Zion, but you may see the armies of the earth arrayed against you first but be faithful and never flinch or fear them, for the Lord will fight your battles if you put your whole trust in him. For he has begun His work, and it will not come to naught, but He may suffer some of his Saints to fall for a testimony against our enemies. But be strong in the work of the t Lord, and whether on life or death, you reward will be sure and you shall conquer at last. July 9th 1863, the weather is very hot and our water is nearly gone, so that it is uncertain weather we can save our crops or not. My health is not good yet, but I work some every day at my crop either hoeing or at watering. July 11, David was taken with the scarlet fever and came near dying.Friday, 17th , David is better but Lydia is taken with the same complaint; Hosea was taken also but not so violent. July 20th, the children are better, all but Lydia, who keeps very bad. July 21st, our sick ones are gaining, Rains in the mountains have cooled the air and raised the streams so we have plenty of water. Crops look well. July 22nd ,Allen was taken down with the scarlet fever; the rest are better; my wife has symptoms of being with it also George A. Smith and Mr. Kinney addressed us yesterday. July 23rd. The sick children are getting better, all but Allen, who still keeps out of his head. 24th, the children are the same, dry and hot. The crops need water, but we are all to sick to attend to it. Sat. the 25th. Alfred was taken down with the scarlet fever, the rest of the children are still gaining. Sun. July 26th Alfred is very sick. I tried to water my cane and cotton but was not able to do much. My family were all gaining all but Alfred on the 27th and on the 29th the fever ceased on him. Aug. 1st 1863, the sick are gaining fast and we are at work in our crops, irrigating. Sunday, Aug. 2nd. My family are still on the mend, but are still weak and not able to do much; they continue to get better and were at our daily savor until Sun. the 9th when Bros. Orson Pratt, R.D. Carrington, and John Nebeker came and preached to us. There was a trial also between me and P. Meeks about a piece of land which we both claimed. On the 10th and 11th worked in the crops. Aug. 12th I went to Wash. To get my oxen of the stray pen; and on the 18th returned home with fourteen head of cattle. Aug. 15th hauled logs and wood and worked in the garden. I continued to haul logs and wood and work in the garden and watered my crop when needed until the 21st when Bishop Covington and one of his council come over to fix something about our water ditches, and set things in order in regard to the amount of land we should try to water with the Creek. Sat. the 22nd I went with my wife and Mr. Mullen and his women to Toquerville to get peaches. On the 23rd, rested myself. Mon. the 24th I gathered 65 melons and set North to trade them for bread stuff. I went 48 miles, bought 16 ½ bushels of wheat, but had to pay cotton for 14 bushels of it. I got some wool, cheese, and butter. I returned home on the 30th and was quite tired and my oxen reduced considerably. Aug. 31st. Watered my crop. Sept. 1st 1863. We began to pick out cotton and that will be our work the most of the fall. The week ended Sept. 5th I was laying up a stone wall for a loom house while the boys were watering, picking cotton and ground cherries, and working with the oxen. Sun., Sept. 6th Raining; I went on with my usual work until Friday the 18th I took a load of cotton to Wash. To get ground; where I also sold some baskets for cotton and peaches. I got home at midnight of the 19th made a 7 bushel basket, and the boys worked at picking out cotton. Sun. 20th. We were all so destitute of clothes that we don’t go to meetings; so I stayed at home and rest. Mon. 21st. I dug a grave for D. Brands child. I then went to picking cotton and stripping cane out which took until the 8th of Oct.. On the 9th I went with my whole family and three others boys and we picked 245 pounds of cotton. Sat. the 10th. I hauled my cane seed and the boys cut corn and picked cotton. Sun. Oct. 11th, Rested and wrote some. I was busy securing my crop for the most of time until Nov. 6th 1863 when I butchered an ox for Mr. Mullen. Saturday Nov. 7th 1863, I took some tithing Molasses; and salted some meat which I bought. I was busy securing my crop and getting wood & c. On the 28th my sister Anna arrived from Provo to spend the Winter. Mon. my sister went to St. George to see my brother Hosea. Wed. Dec. 2nd I sent my boys to Washington to get some corn ground and some cotton grinned. On the 3rd the boys got back in the night. Fri. the 4th, I worked on the Loom House. Sat. Dec. 5th; this day I was 48 years old; and no with standing all the hardships, mobs and prisons I have been through, and the sickness I have had, I am not able to perform more hard work than when I was first Baptized into the Church, in 1838, for the Lord has given me strength to stand my scenes of deep affliction and has rewarded me with a large family who are now a great help to me, for which I thank and pray his Holy name; and I pray for strength that I may live to see my children all able to do for themselves. I was employed at common labor about home until December 14th 1863, when I served one week as Grand Juror, at the City of St. George. I then returned home and went to my work. We had a dance at Kainsberg [sic] on Christmas and another on the 1st of Jan 1854. My health was very poor and most of my family were feeble with colds. Jan 11th, I began to send four of the children to school. Feb. 6th I sold my five acre lot for a cow and calf. I now began to try to settle up my business to more up the river to get a larger farm so as to raise my bread, for I had not land enough to till; and water was scarce for the land I had in cultivation. My wife was dawn with the rheumatism. Sat. Feb. 20th, 1864 my wife is on the mend but not able to walk. I began to make garden. I continued to work at making fences and getting wood for to pay some debts until Mar. the 6th 1863, my wife was sick still, but was able to walk; my breast was not well, and the children were ill with colds. I was trying to get my business settled up so as to go off and farm and get a crop of corn, in, for my breast was sore. I was sick so as to have to keep in doors for some days. But the two oldest boys went ahead with my business. Mar. 18th We were ready to start off to make a crop, but I was not able to go, but on the 20th we set out for the upper Vergin [sic] , to make a new farm. My oldest son and I set out and have but little to eat, and we had but little to take with us. So we passed through Toquer [Toquerville] and up the Twist and camped on the LaVercan [sic] Bench where there was a little bunch of grass. Mon. the 21st. We passed on through Vergin City and Goolds [Gould's] Ranch and camped where there was some grass for our stock, which consisted of one yoke of oxen, two cows and two calves. We had now made about twenty-five miles in two days. On the 22nd we set out through mud, for it had rained that night; and we pulled teenys [sic] sheep herd and camped in the cedars; up here the feed was good; still cloudy. On the 23rd we passed through teenys ranch, and camped in the cedars. We were forty-five miles from Harrisburg. On the 24th we set out and traveled about 8 miles and camped where we had good grass but the wind blew very cold. Sat. the 26th we passed over some sandy hollows which was very hard on our team, till at last we stuckfast [sic] , and had to unload and pack our wagon up the hill by pieces. Sun. the 27th snowing and cold. We had to pack our load up one more hill and we then got into Long Valley and overtook Mr. Harris who started a week ahead of us. Mon. the 28th we passed on up the Valley and camped all together near where the town of Winsor now is located. Tue. The 29th we rolled on up to where the Barrys [sic] were camped and staid all night, but not finding a chance to suit us, we went back seven miles and examined the soil, which did not suit us for it was poor; so on the 31st of Mar. I went up one and one half miles above Berryville and began a farm. So we labored with all our mights [sic] at getting a crop in the ground and getting a fence around it. I had located a rich bend of the river of about thirty acres with a spring rising at the foot of the mountain, and was very well situated to irrigate the land below it. I got nine acres of corn, cane, and garden stuff in which grew well, but my health was poor, so that I could do little. We made 260 rods of fence to close in the crop, and got a cabin put up, and on the 17th of June I left my son to go ahead with the crop and take care of the cows, and I set out for Harrisburg to bring my family. I was three and one half days getting back, and found my wife and children well, but out of bread. So I went to work and sold my house and lots to Willard G. McMillian for three cows, and on the 6th of July, 1864, we set out for Long Valley. The weather was hot so we had a hard trip, for we had but one wagon, and the children had to walk; but before we got through the old wagon broke down; and we left the main part of our load and went in on two wheels. We got in on the 14th and found the boy well and crop doing well. on the 16th I went back and got the rest of the load and the broken wagon. We were now out of bread and had to live on meat and milk until green corn came, but we lived through and made out to raise soko [sic] corn beans and other vegetables; but there was no mill, some we pounded and grated our corn. We had a deep snow which lay all winter. But the weather was not very cold so my wife and daughters made clothes to keep us from freezing. And the boys and me done all we could at building and fencing; and in the spring of 1865, my wife gave birth to another son and we called his name Orlando Fisk, their was my eight son and twelfth child. I bought twenty nine sheep and ten took a flock to herd, so we earned one hundred sixty dollars at this business; but my eyes were getting so weak that I could not do much out of the house, an Allen my oldest son, took a notion to leave me; so he left me in a time that I most needed his help, and he has been doing business on his own responsibility every since. Any my eyes continued to get worse all the while until the first day of Dec. when I was so bad with the inflammation in my head that my wife and children became alarmed thinking I would die, and they left the farm and went to town with me. We were now under the necessity of building a for to defend ourselves from the Indians. So I had to hire help and buy some houses in the fort so that my loosing a good share of my crop by the move, I was very low of means, but my eyes grew worse till the middle of winter when the sight was entirely gone from my left eye, and the other one very weak. But I got a little better in the spring, so I went to St. George to sell my sheep and do some other business and was gone about seven weeks, during which time my health improved some. I got back on the 10th of May 1866 and soon after my getting home, Brother Snow sent word for all the inhabitants of Long Valley to return to Dixie. So I was now obliged to leave my farm, fort houses, own lots and everything and get out in a hurry; and having neither wagon nor team I knew not what to do for I could not get a wagon and team for all I was worth; but the Lord opened the way for me. Bro. Thomas Gower, and entire stranger took my family in his wagon and hauled me to Toquer. Now, there were many incidents happened on the way worthy of recording. There were seven Indians come into our camp at Short Creek, who our brethren knew to be the ones that robbed them at Kanab, and it was with difficulty that Bro. John Pierce restrained them from shooting them down, which would have proved our destruction; for there was a strong force of Indians near by. But through the vigilance of Bro. Pierce and J. M. Higgbee and the guards who they commanded, we got in safe. I obtained an underground room where we staid two nights. I then got Thomas Adams to haul me to Harrisburg, nine miles and we stopped with W. G. McMillian in our old house that we sold. We were now so completely broken up that I could not be of the lots back that I let him have. I then left my family, went to St. George on foot to see Brother Snow to find out what to do, and I was told to stop either in Harrisburg, Washington, or St. George. So I W.G McMullin to take me to St. George, where I arrived with my family on the 3rd day of July 1866. And went into a cabin belonging to Zeranus [sic] Lee. Now the sudden change of climate and of water made us all quite sick. On the 12th our babe was taken with Diarrhea, which grew worse fast until inflammation set in and he died on the morning of the 16th of July 1866. This is now the 27th and we are not well and Lydia has gone to Great Salt Lake with her Aunt Alvira [sic] to stay till fall, and I am so near blind that I hardly see what I am writing. And the day will come when you will see the Saints of God free from all oppression and flourishing in Zion; and you will be blessed in the midst of the people of the Lord. It is this knowledge that has helped me to bear up under sickness and death, through mobs and being driven for the Gospel sake. But my body is now so feeble that I cannot stand much more unless the Lord shall strengthen me to bear it. Sunday. Aug. 26th 1866 since writing before we have moved to the lower part of the city in to Isaiah Cox’s house. The weather is extremely wet for Dixie. Martha Ann was married on the 28th of July, to a man by the name of Thomas Pitts, who lives in Paragoonah [sic]. I am at work making baskets and drying fruit. On the 20th day of Sept. I started for Great Salt Lake City, to seek medical council with regards to my eyes and I got there on the 30th , suffering much on the way with my eyes and head. I consulted ten physicians, and their council was conflicting with regards to what ought to be done. But they all said it was not a cancer. I staid at my brothers one month. During which time I had a severe spell of pleurisy. I visited my wifes [sic] Aunt Huldah F. Fouker [Fluker] several times; she is a kind and an intelligent lady. My daughter Lydia was married to Charles E. Griffin the 22nd of Sept. 1866. On the 31st of Oct. I set out for home on the stage and in 36 hour was in Fillmore City, 160 miles on my way, very much fatigued. I staid there three night and was kindly entertained by Bros. Robins and Kinney; I then got in with my brother in-law William Anderson, who was carrying mail and came on to Cedar City; then on in with Charles Cowley and rode to Harrisburg, then rode with George Ghool [sic] to St. George where I found my family in a very destitute situation. The children had ague, and we had no means to get medicine; and it was with great difficulty that we could get bread. So I went to work at making baskets with all my might which I sold for provisions I continued that business all winter. The boys had the chills so that they were not able to do but little; but I sent them to school and they got a start at writing and arithmetic. My health is poor; my sight is dim so much so that every mark on the paper looks like two and I cannot see the rules on the paper, but I still hold on to live and exercise all the faith I can in the Lord, and I pray to my God day and night that I may live to see my little ones all men and women and able to do for themselves; and that I may see the Lords Kingdom triumph and enemies of righteousness brought low in the dust; which things I shall see whether in the flesh or in the spirit. For I do know that the work of the Lord will roll on in spite of every opposition; and my eyes shall see it, and my heart shall rejoice; for this cause I labor and toil in pain an sickness. And esteem my afflictions light when I contemplate the glory that will be given to those who endure to the end. The Gentiles are now trying to get us something for a pretext to get an Army sent against this people but they can only hasten their own destruction and the Lord over rules all things for his own glory and salvation of those who trust in His name. Feb. 23rd 1867. The Indians have been annoying settlements on the Rio Virgin this winter. Mar. 30th 1867 The Indians; I moved my family to a new house that the boys and me had made in the north west part of the city, where we have got water by a little digging in the hill, and we have set out an orchard and a vineyard. The boys still have some ague, and my head is full of pain the most of the time, and my sight is very dim. On the 9th of May 1867, my wife gave birth to another son whom we called Milton Fiske [sic], which my 9th son. We continued to work by the day and job to get our bread through the summer. But on the 1st of Aug. I sold out to S. M. Blair & Co. and got a wagon and team and some clothes. In all I got $400.00 for my place; but I was without a home; I therefore had to rent. On the 18th day of Apr. my oldest daughter Martha Ann Pitts, gave birth to a son, whom they called Thomas Miles. This was my first grandchild, and my second daughter Lydia Mariah Fisk Griffin, came home on a visit to spend the winter with us and on the 15th of Jan. 1868, gave birth to a son who was called Allen Joseph Griffin. And on the 18th of Jan. I was taken with a congestive chill and was out of my senses for some three or four days, and then the consumption set in on me with a swelling of left lung, so that I reduced so low that I could not turn over in my bed for weeks, and there was but little hopes of my recovery for a long time. But when spring came I began to get better slowly, and I removed to Rockville in Cane Co. where we began to make a crop; and I took a trip to Beaver to try to get my health and on my return I was able to hoe in field and could do considerable if my eyes would permit, but I cannot see to work in the hot sun. My children had the whooping cough so that we were all sick for a long time. And now June the 14th we are still afflicted with sickness in our family. My health continued to improve so that I kept at work through the summer, and we raised a good crop, though the grasshoppers came in great abundance and severely injured some of the crops; but the Lord turned them aside so that we had a subsistence left after our crops were secured. I went to St. George and worked ten days and earned $200.00 at basket making, during which time five of my children were going to school to Bro. Henry Jennings, and they learned fast under his instruction. This Oct. Conference President Brigham Young taught the Saints the importance of cooperating in all their business and to cease trading with our enemies, and to build up each other, and not give our means to those who seek our destruction. He also counseled a strict observance of the Word of Wisdom, and forbade any one becoming a member of the school of the Prophets who would not observe the same. But as I had left off the use of tobacco for more than a year, I had got over wanting it, and I joined the school in St. George; so I can have admittance any where that I present my ticket. This school is doing a vast amount of good among the Saints in bringing about a union of feelings and a concert of action, and will so much in preparing the Saints for returning to the center Stake of Zion . On the 23rd of Sept. Lydia started back home to Coalville. She met with her husband in Salt Lake City. My oldest son went up to the city and got his endowments this fall; and five of my other children went to school all winter, but now have to begin to make a crop, and I have to take them out of school; but I am sorry they cannot go on all spring. It is now the 12th of Feb. 1869. So I will write a few words today as I have another son presented to me who we call Don Carlos Fisk, he being my 10th son. we have labored hard the past season to raise a crop, and have been blessed of the Lord with health, and have raised some food to eat the next season, for which we thank our God. It is now the 28th of Oct. 1869. We still continue to labor and raise our bread by filling the earth and raising grain and fruit. The year 1871, ushered in with severe sickness, measles, and colds, which prove fatal to many. My son Don Carlos died on the 15th of Mar. 1871, any myself and family were all sick ten of them with measles; as far me I was still consumptive and my head was affected an in almost constant pain. The grasshoppers again come in countless numbers devouring everything before them in so much that it seemed impossible to raise a crop, but we saved some fruit by smoking them out of the orchards, but what was left was badly injured. The weather was very hot and dry and feed very scarce; but the hoppers passed out and we raised some corn and molasses by the blessing of God. During the winter I worked in Wash. Some times making stone fence, sometimes baskets and also taught a Masonic lecture school of evenings. I returned home Feb. 3rd 1872 and on the 21st set out for Pioche to try to work for some means to buy bread for my family, but the weather was very stormy and I took cold which made my breast so bad that I could not work at the hard labor which was going on there. So I set out for Salt Lake, but I finally got there on the 30th of Mar. I then took out license for peddling fruit, but the weather continued so stormy that I could not get about for some days. And my eye kept getting worse, and the inflammation seemed to be communicating to the other eye, and the doctor thought that I should soon be entirely blind if I did not have something done for it. So on the 11th day of April at ..O’clock Dr. Anderson cut off the lump that protruded so conspicuous that I could not cover it with the lids of the eye. I would not take chloroform, but let him cut it out; and I sensed all the pain, which was so acute that I have no language to describe it. Surprised it say I had to keep close tot he house for near two months during which time his women took the best of care of me that possible could. When I first got there my Bro. And a number of others were in custody at Camp Douglas, but he got released after being confined six months and three days. All this was on the testimony of that Villainous murdered W. A. Hickman. So I traveled with J. W. Barry, but I suffered much on the road with my eye. I got home on the 21st day of June, after an absence of four months and 5 hours, and on the 24th of June 1872 my wife gave birth to another daughter who we called Huldah Louisa Fisk. Soon after I commenced to take fruit to the North settlements and exchange for bread stuff and other commodities for my family were very destitute of both food and raiment. I then commenced to build a house on my lots for I was living in a rented house, and on the 17th of Mar 1873, we moved into our own house and commenced to put seeds in the ground. But on the 5th, 6th and 7th of Apr. 1873 had a severe frost which destroyed the most of the fruit, so that I was compelled to seek some kind of employment to make a living, for my fruit was my chief dependence. So on the 15th of Apr., I set out for Salt Lake City to work, and the first thing I got was making coal sacks, at 5 cents a piece. I made forty a day. I got some money and then bought some alcohol and oils, made up some essence and went to peddling. On the 5th of Aug. I started for home with Mr. Terry, come through Sampete, got a load of flour, and got home the 21st</ |